Aluminium trilactate

Short-term toxicity to fish

Description of key information

No data on short term toxicity to fish are available for the substance Aluminium trilactate. Thus, a read-across to the moieties of Aluminium trilactate - Lactic acid and Aluminium is used for hazard assessment. This read-across approach is adequate as the salt Aluminium trilactate will dissociate into Lactic acid and Aluminium ions in aqueous solutions.  
Two short term studies with Lactic acid as well as two studies with water soluble Al salts (Aluminium sulphate and Aluminium chloride) are available. 
The 96 h LC50 of Lactic acid in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was determined to be 257.73 mg/L (nominal). In Brachydanio rerio the 96 h LC50 of Lactic acid was determined to be 320 mg/L (nominal).
The 96 h LC50 in juvenile Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) was determined to be 107.9 µg Al/L (as Aluminium sulphate) in the presence of fulvic acid. In juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) the 96 h LC50 was 0.36 mg/L dissolved Al.
The most critical 96 h-LC50 was 107.9 µg Al/L; recalculated to Aluminium trilactate the 96 h-LC50 is 1.18 mg/L.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Fresh water fish

Fresh water fish

Effect concentration:

1.18 mg/L

Additional information

No data on short term toxicity to fish are available for the substance Aluminium trilactate. Thus, a read-across to the moieties of Aluminium trilactate - Lactic acid and Aluminium is used for hazard assessment. This read-across approach is adequate as the salt Aluminium trilactate will dissociate into Lactic acid and Aluminium ions in aqueous solutions. 

Two short term studies with Lactic acid as well as two studies with water soluble Al salts (Aluminium sulphate and Aluminium chloride) are available:

The acute toxicity of Lactic acid to tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was investigated in a study conducted according to the recommendations given by APHA (1995). Fish (in total 16) were exposed to nominal concentrations ranging from 60.5 to 423.5 mg/L for 96 h under semi-static conditions. In a further bioassay, the feeding rate of fish exposed to the Lactic acid for 96 h was determined. The 96 h LC50 was determined to be 257.73 mg/L (nominal).

The study is regarded as reliable with restrictions although some information e.g. on test conditions are missing as the study was conducted according to the recommendations of APHA.

This result is supported by an acute toxicity study of Lactic acid to zebrafish:

The acute toxicity of Lactic acid to Brachydanio rerio was investigated in a study conducted according to OECD Guideline 203 (Fish, Acute Toxicity Test) and EPA Guideline No. EG-9 and Technical Support Document No. ES-6 under semi-static conditions. The test substance concentration was determined enzymatically. The 96 h LC50 was determined to be 320 mg/L (nominal). The authors explained the apparent toxicity of Lactic acid to B. rerio by the low pH values of the test substance solutions (4.1 and 3.5 at concentrations of 320 and 560 mg/L; pH according to guideline not adjusted).

 

In a 96-h acute toxicity study similar to OECD guideline 203, juvenile Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) were exposed to Aluminium sulphate at the following measured concentrations:

The 96-h LC50 was 2.9 µM (95% CI 2.5–3.2 µM) without fulvic acid and 8.3 µM (95% CI 6.9–10.0 µM) with 5 mg/L fulvic acid. Recalculation to µg/L resulted in the following values: 96-h LC50: 78.2 µg Al/L (95% CI 67.5 - 86.3 µg/L) without fulvic acid and 107.9 µg Al/L (CI 94.4 - 121.4 µg/L) with fulvic acid. Al was less toxic in FA (fulvic acid) solutions than in the standard reconstituted soft water. As natural waters contain organic matter to some extent, the 96-LC50 obtained from the experiment with 5 mg/L fulvic acid is considered the more realistic value and thus used for hazard assessment.

In a 96-h acute toxicity study, juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were exposed to Aluminium chloride at nominal Al concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mg/L. Various combinations of Al and hardness or Al and humic acid concentrations were assessed.

The lowest 96 h LC50 was 3.75 mg/L total Al or 0.36 mg/L dissolved Al (at low humic acid concentration of 1.4 mg/L).

Higher humic acid concentrations reduced Al-related effects on mortality: at a humic acid concentration of 10.1 mg/L, the 96 h LC50 was 5.22 mg/L total Al or 0.79 mg/L dissolved Al.

Short term toxicity of Aluminium to fish has also been reviewed by Environment Canada (2010), WHO IPCS EHC(1997) and US ATSDR(2008). These reviews and the literature cited therein have also been taken into account for hazard assessment.

Based on the available data the most critical 96 h-LC50 was 107.9 µg Al/L; recalculated to Aluminium trilactate the 96 h-LC50 is 1.18 mg/L.

References:

Environment Canada (2010) Environment Canada Priority Substance List Assessment Report, Follow-up to the State of Science Report, 2000 Aluminium Salts (Final Content), available via internet: http://www.ec.gc.ca/lcpe-cepa/default.asp?lang=En&n=491F0099-1 and http://www.ec.gc.ca/lcpe-cepa/documents/substances/sa-as/final/al_salts-eng.pdf

US ATSDR (United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) (2008) Toxicological profile for Aluminium, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, available via internet: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp.asp?id=191&tid=34

 

WHO IPCS EHC (World Health Organisation International Programme on Chemical Safety Environmental Health Criteria) (1997) Aluminium (Environmental health criteria; 194), IPCS, World Health Organization, Geneva, available via internet: http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc194.htm